Historic building rejuvenation wins design award

on Monday,April 06,2009 21:04

The renovation of the historic Ford Assembly Building in Richmond, California, has been honored with a 2009 Design Award by a Bay Area local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

AIA East Bay gave the Citation for Architecture award in recognition of the comprehensive restoration and upgrade of the waterfront facility, spearheaded by Berkeley-based firm Marcy Wong Donn Logan Architects.

The work encompassed the salvage, restoration, reinforcement and renovation of features inherent to the building''s architectural spirit, including more than 40,000 window panes and vast skylight modules.

The building''s roof, with massive north-facing skylights which created the "day-lit" factory space, was supplanted with a rooftop solar voltaic power plant to add eco-friendly function to the structure''s form.

"This is a building that California can be proud of - and that architects, developers, politicians and business owners across the country should study as a model of innovative, environmentally responsible reuse," says Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP).

The Ford Assembly Building was designed by industrial architect Albert Kahn. Boasting spectacular views of San Francisco, it opened in 1932 as Ford Motor''s Model ''A'' production plant.

Today it houses the event, concert and production facility Craneway Pavilion as well as six green businesses.

In addition to the AIA East Bay award, the Ford Assembly Building received a National Preservation Honor Award from NTHP in 2008.